~Innocence~

Over the last several days there is a song that I have played over and over.....finally today, it occurred to me why I am so drawn to this song, and that it has ties to what we have discussed in English 300. The song is "Innocence" by Avril Lavigne (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir2Sg_8hC3w) and the lyrics go like this:


Waking up I see that everything is OK
The first time in my life and now it's so great
Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed
I think about the little things that make life great
I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

[Chorus]
This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe, not a single tear
The first time in my life and now it's so clear
Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here
It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry
It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliant
Makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliance
Please don't go away
Cause I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by


How very interesting that this song speaks to the same ideas that are brought up in both "My Book and Heart Shall Never Part," and "Don Quixote." The song shows the emotions that get stirred up when discussing innocence and its loss. When we are innocent, we look at everything as beautiful, we "think about the little things that make life great." It is a reality that we will indeed lose much of our innocence, however, I have found that many people (including myself) wish to remain in that beautiful state. The chorus of this song echos a place that I have often been, wishing that my innocence would stay forever, never go away, and that I could hold onto it because I need it. Innocence allows you to look at the world the way that DQ does....in fact the other characters in Don Quixote have let there innocence drift so far away, that they simply cannot relate to DQ's desire to see the world the way it used to be- before the veil of innocence was removed from their eyes. I am realizing, however, that we still encounter moments of innocence. They can be recognized by this --

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

When we encounter these moments, we must grasp onto them and then proceed to carry them with us into the harsh reality of life as we have come to know it.